Toph Babysits
by loknationatlaworld
Summary: Toph babysits Kya, Bumi, Tenzin, Lin, Honora Zuko's daughter , and Hakoda Sokka's son when the other parents are away! Read to find out what's in store for them! Relationships will be made, friendships possibly broken! Tune in for more!
1. Chapter 1

Prompt: Toph babysits Kya, Bumi, Tenzin, Lin, and Zuko's daughter. Feel free to add and create Sokka's kid(s), if you'd like. =)

An anonymous person sent me the prompt on Tumblr and I just felt the story come to life from there. I absolutely love the you enjoy it!

"Well, today's the day!" Aang exclaims to Toph.

Toph nods, smiling. She and Lin had arrived at Air Temple Island earlier that morning. "Did you get King Kuei's granddaughter a gift for her marriage to bless her into royal matrimony?" Aang, rolls his eyes at Toph's sarcasm but adds, "Yes, yes we did. We are even bringing gifts for her grandfather's bear Bosco."

Toph smiles at her best friend and replies "That bear is too cute. I remember when we first met him back in the day…" Aang laughs lightheartedly and says, "It feels like so long ago…"

"It _was_ long ago Aang, we're old now." Toph adds, punching his shoulder lightly. Aang clutches his aching shoulder, trying not to express his pain by changing the subject. "And you're sure you don't want to come? You were invited, you know."

Toph rolls her eyes and replies, a slight nuance in her tone, shifting from jocular to vindictive. "Yes, Aang. I'm sure, weddings just aren't my style. Plus, I much rather be here, watching the kids."

Aang nods and drops the subject. "Well, we can't thank you enough. If you weren't staying, we'd have to take the kids with us and that would have been so chaotic."

Toph smiles at the idea, returning to her normal, fun self. "We'll be fine, Aang, don't worry. You guys are only leaving for a couple of days, what's the worst that could happen? Anyway, Katara, Zuko, Mai and Sokka are coming. You should go help with their bags, I'll get the kids."

Aang turns and finds no one, but then remembers that Toph sees through the earth's vibrations. "Right, I'll meet them half way."

Minutes later, Aang returns outside carrying his and Katara's suitcases. The children sit on the front steps to the entrance of the temple and are casually talking and playing.

"We're gonna have so much fun since Aunt Toph's our babysitter. She's the best!" Aang's son Bumi says, joyfully. "You got that right, Bumi!" Lin adds, giggling. Tenzin, sitting quietly on the corner steps is quick to agree with Lin. "Yes, she is really great!" Lin looks over at him and smiles.

Aang coughs to make his presence known and the children turn around and get up to greet him. "Now, you all are going to be well behaved aren't you so Toph doesn't have a hard time, right?"

"Oh of course, Uncle Aang!" Zuko's daughter Honora says, her smile beaming and her golden eyes shimmering. Hakoda, Sokka's son, agrees passionately, obviously seeking to impress Honora. Aang sees her cheeks fill with rouge and he smiles down at the children.

Aang steps past the children and places his suitcases upon Appa. He is atop Appa's saddle and looks out into the horizon, excited to travel in the air again, just like old times. He notices Toph sitting on a bench not too far from the children, wiping her hand at her eyes.

His gaze falls and he slides down and walks over to her. When he arrives, Toph begins to speak acting as though nothing is wrong. "Toph, I saw you crying. What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Twinkle Toes…Well, sometimes, I just wish Lin's father was here and able to see how happy she is. He was a horrible father, but I want to show him how much I don't need him anymore and how much Linny doesn't need him anymore. We're fine alone-I'm fine alone.", The last sentence is accompanied by a crack in her voice and she turns away, ashamed at revealing herself.

Aang senses her vulnerability at this moment and sits down next to her, holding her hand. She is the farthest from being an open person, and knows this is hard for her to admit.

"Is that why you didn't want to go to the wedding? Because you'd have gone alone? Toph, I understand you completely, but you're not alone. You have all of us, and we have you. Those who stay are the ones who count."

Toph looks up smiling, her tears shimmering in the sunlight. "Thanks Aang." She turns over his hand and squeezes it tightly. "Remember when I asked you if friendships could survive through lifetimes?" Aang nods in approval, not wanting to ruin the moment between the two best friends and places his second hand over hers. "I think you were right, Aang. I think our friendship will last lifetimes."

Aang, recollecting the moment she is referring to, smiles and says, "I know Toph." They stand as Katara, Zuko, Mai and Sokka are placing their suitcases on Appa and talking to the children.

"Bumi, Kya, and Tenzin, be good now. I love you." Katara says, kneeling down with Aang to hug each of her children. Sokka rubs Hakoda's head and says, "Be good little buddy, you don't want Auntie Toph on your bad side." Hakoda laughs and hugs his dad's legs. Finally, Zuko and Mai are spreaking with Honora and she leans into a hug from both her parents. Lin is leaning against her mother, holding her hand.

The five adults pull away then mount Appa. As they are lifting into the air, gliding toward the Earth kingdom, they wave more goodbyes and farewell wishes.

**End of Chapter 1! The fun has only begun you guys! Review if you want, I am not pressuring you.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! Sorry it's taken me so long to update, I've been so busy with family stuff. It won't ever happen again, don't worry! By the way, you'll get an introduction into what I think each of the children were like and yes, Bumi is like a mini Sokka. ( :**

"So, who's hungry?" Toph says as she turned towards the children after waving goodbye to their parents. Nearly all the children's hands shot up and Toph laughed at their eagerness. After laying out food to eat for the children in the gazebo on the western part of the island, Toph sits on the steps to keep an eye on the children.

"Hey Honora," Bumi says teasingly, "do you like seafood?" Honora looks over at him quizzically, and replies, "Yeah, I gue-" Bumi promptly cuts her off and shows her his open mouth filled with food. The children cringe in disgust, but also begin to laugh and Toph cannot help but smile. "Get it, guys? SEE-food?"

Tenzin sighs but notices Lin is laughing the hardest. "Hey Lin, I can do it too!" he exclaims and sticks a glob of rice in his mouth. Just as Lin turns to see, Tenzin realizes what is about to happen. He tries to turn away, but his body has turned against him. "Achoo!" he sneezes, catapulting his rice all over Lin and flying backward. Tenzin swiftly lands on the ground and looks over at Lin, mouth agape. "I'm so-" Lin earthbends a rock at his stomach and yells "Don't you-ugh!". She runs inside to clean up and Toph lets her go but stops Tenzin with a rock wall. "Let her go, she needs to cool off. If you go now, you might as well jump into Yue Bay and try not to swim." Tenzin, understanding the gist of Toph's advice flies away, sulking.

Toph looks back at the other children and feels that they are struggling not to laugh. "You guys sit tight, and don't pull anything, you hear?" An exclamation of yeah's and yes maam's reach her ears and she goes after Tenzin, knowing Lin will be fine once she cools off.

She checks the ground for Tenzin's movements and finds light vibrations near the cliff. "That must be him." she thinks. She launches herself towards the cliff on a rock and lands a few yards behind him. He's sitting next to a bush, picking on the leaves and bending them over the cliff and into Yue Bay as if they're dancing.

Noticing another presence, Tenzin turns around and sees Toph. "Go away, please." he says, exasperated. Toph smirks and sarcastically remarks, "Well, I guess you don't want my advice on how to win my daughter's, whom I say I know best, heart, right?" Toph begins to loudly walk away, and Tenzin turns around "No, wait, yes, I mean- please tell me!"

Toph smiles and sits down on the edge of the cliff and pats the area next to her, signaling for Tenzin to sit down. Tenzin carefully sits down and asks, "But how did you know about me liking Lin?" Toph laughs, "I see with vibrations remember, Tenzin, your heartbeat flutters when you're around her? So, sometimes I see things people try to hide."

Tenzin looks at her in admiration, beet red, and says, disgruntled "Wow but I just wish she liked me a little, even as a friend! I always screw up around her, and I hate embarrassing myself in front of her." Toph nods, "Yeah, you could say that, but through seeing through vibrations, I've realized that different people show their affection differently. You see, I show affection through earthbending sometimes, or punching someone." As she says this, Toph punches Tenzin in the shoulder, who nearly hurtles toward the other side of the island. "Thanks." Tenzin says, gripping his shoulder tightly.

"What I'm trying to tell you is to try and look past what's on the outside. Try and understand how people work and why they do things to truly understand their desires. It's one of the keys to living a life where you're happy and the people in your life are happy. Through understanding and understanding only, you see people for who they really are. It'll take time to learn a whole person, but it pays off. That's how you should win Linny. Understand her, cherish her, and help her achieve her true goals."

Tenzin stands and bows to his Aunt. "Thank you, Aunt. Your advice has opened my eyes to a new perspective on seeing the world."

"No problem Tenzin. Now, go have some fun with the rest of the children." she says, waving her hand toward the western side of the island.

Tenzin nods and replies, "Okay, thank you again."

"You're welcome, oh and Tenzin," Toph says, while getting up and walking toward him, "if you ever, _ever_ break my little girl's heart, I'll make sure to not be there to protect you when you tell her." She smirks but surprisingly senses no fear in Tenzin.

"I won't. I'll break mine before I break hers." Tenzin quietly replies, walking away.

Toph smiles and watches him walk away, knowing she can trust him.

**Okay! That's it for today! I really hope you like! Reviews are appreciated, but no pressure guys! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Legend of Korra or any of its characters! **

**Author's Note: So, I don't know if this is very clear but the children are aged from 1about 11-13. **

After watching Tenzin fly away back to the temple to meditate on his thoughts, Toph makes her way back to the other children, who have now abandoned the gazebo and are playing near the vegetable garden. As she is walking up a sweet little girl's voice reaches Toph's ears. "Bumi, you are so mean! You're always playing tricks and now look what you've done! Both Tenzin and Lin are mad at each other and it's all your fault." Honora says belligerently. Bumi wears a defiant look on his face. "Honora, come on. How is it my fault? He's the dumb one who copied me like a parrot hawk!"

"Bumi, you're a bad influence! And don't call your brother dumb, he's better than you even if he is younger, you immature sitting turtle duck!" Honora yells. Bumi scoffs but just as he begins to retort, he sees Toph walking down the hill, staring straight at them, one of her eyebrows cocked. "Honora, don't blame the kid for Tenzin's actions, and Bumi, don't be so cocky. We all know Tenzin was trying to impress Linny and thought that since you made her laugh, he could too by doing the same thing."

The children turned to look at her, astonished by what they had just heard. _Had Aunt Toph just admitted to knowing Tenzin liked Lin?_

Kya speaks up first, confidently. "How long have you known?" Toph looks down at her, smiling. "Long enough. Now leave them alone about it, I'm sure things will sort themselves out. Now, go have some fun. There's no use fighting."

The kids nod and disperse amongst themselves to go play. Toph sits and sees Honora swiftly trip Bumi as he walks away.

She cannot help but smile knowing in her mind that some people just show their affection differently from others.

"Honora?" Bumi asks as he knocks on her bedroom door that night. "Come in." He opens the door to see Honora reading a book in her bed.

"I just wanted to apologize to you. You were right; I was being immature and mean." Honora's eyes stray from the book she's reading and she looks up at him skeptically. "Hmmm, and what made you realize this?"

Bumi looks down at her, surprised. He had not expected to have to explain himself. He musters up all of his courage, readying himself to deliver the truth. He couldn't think of a believable lie that wouldn't make Honora more skeptical or less accepting of his apology, so the truth is what he'd have to stick to. "I guess I just-uh, realized that Tenzin was um, just trying to impress Lin like I was-um, trying to impress you." Bumi's face reddens immediately and Honora's cheeks fill with heat.

"Oh!" Honora says jocularly, overlooking Bumi's confession in order to prevent an awkward silence. "You thought showing me chewed up food would impress me?"

Bumi sighs and laughs, silently thanking Honora for not embarrassing him further. "Yeah, I guess I did think it would impress you."

Honora places her book on her night table and stands up, toe to toe with Bumi. "Well, next time, be yourself. That's the best you. And I'm also sorry that I tripped you." She looks into his eyes, leans in and kisses him on the cheek. She pulls back elegantly, her long black hair falling forward. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have reading to do." Honora quickly turns Bumi around and kicks him out of her room, slamming the door behind him.

Bumi walks away rubbing his sore rear, with a grin on his face reaching from ear to ear.

The next morning Tenzin decides to apologize to Lin. She hadn't come out of her room since yesterday's accident. However, Tenzin knew Aunt Toph gave her food and talked to her. _"She's been given plenty of time to cool off. I'll risk it." _

He arrives at Lin's bedroom door after his meditation session and lightly knocks on it. "Come in." Tenzin walks in and sees Lin leaning against the windowsill looking out onto Yue Bay. "Hey Tenzin." she says without even turning around.

"How did you-"

"Tenzin, mom's teaching me how to see with vibrations like her. That's how I can recognize you, your walk is very light."

"Oh," Tenzin says, embarrassed at his lack of common sense. "well I came in here to apologize about sneezing food on you. I don't know what came over me, I thought you'd find it funny if I did what Bumi was doing. I didn't mean to sneeze on you. I'm so sorry."

Lin, still facing the window, smiles and lifts her head up and turns around. "It's okay, Tenzin. I forgive you. Plus, you can't control sneezes, so I don't blame you no matter how stupid you were."

"Really?" Tenzin asks. _"Thank the Spirits." _

"Yeah. But you have to do one thing for me." Lin says, smirking.

"Sure, yeah. I'll do anything to make it up to you!" Tenzin says, excited that his soul mate had accepted him.

"Take me flying on one of the flying bison." Lin looks up at him and smiles.

Tenzin smiles and grabs her hand, leading her out toward the stables. "Let's go."

**Review if you want, no pressure guys! Next chapter: read what happens on the ride! **


	4. Chapter 4

**Oh gosh! I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to update! Don't think I left this story here to shrivel up and die! In all honesty, my computer broke so I had to buy a new one, so that took me a while! But I'm back now! Enjoy 3**

Tenzin runs out the door of the girls' dormitory, hand in hand with Lin as she giggled behind him. "Come on! This will be great!"

Tenzin grabs Lin by her side and opens his glider. "What are you doing?" Lin asks, gasping in surprise at his close touch. "This way will be faster! Hold on tight, Lin." Lin looks away to hide her blush and follows his direction.

"Ahhh!" she screams, shutting her eyes with her hands as they lift off into the air. "Lin, open your eyes! You have to get used to the sight somehow before we make it to the stables with the air bison!" Tenzin hollers, holding her tighter to reassure her of her safety. Lin peeks through her fingers and looks down. "Wow…" she says almost inaudibly. Her stare grazes the tops of the trees below her, each one acting as a piece of a lush, strong whole.

"Lin, I'm going to land now. Keep holding on tight." Lin nods in acknowledgement and the two descend, landing right in front of the door to the stables.

"Wow, Tenzin. That was wonderful! I'm so glad you showed me a preview with your glider. Now I want to ride the air bison even more!" Lin exclaims, jumping towards the door.

Tenzin smiles at her, walking forward to unlock the stable door.

"Did I ever tell you the story of how we got all these bison?"

Lin walks into the door held open for her and looks around to see two rows of stables, one on each side of the barn holding sky bison ranging in size from huge to enormous. "No, you haven't." she replies, walking forward.

"Well, my dad actually thought that his sky bison, Appa, was the last of his kind. But during the Harmony Restoration Movement, Dad and Appa were riding out close to the Eastern Air Temple when they flew between these two mountains with a valley in between them. Dad had only visited the Eastern Air Temple once, so he didn't know the area very well. He grounded Appa in the valley in order to meditate over his problems when he said he had a vision of sky bison grazing in a pasture and that's about it!"

Lin, listening intently as she walked down the rows petting the sky bison, turns around, her face glazed with curiosity. "What do you mean, 'that's it'? What happened after the vision?"

Tenzin stares at her, begging his heart to beat normally or else Lin might feel his fluttering heartbeat. "Uhhh, I guess he found them and brought them home. They were somewhere in that valley."

Lin looks quizzically at Tenzin whose hand is rubbing the back of his neck, his expression similar to that of someone who is intimidated. "Avatar powers are so weird." Lin says, laughing.

She senses him relaxing and turns back to inspecting the sky bison. "This one's really cute. Let's take him." She stops in front of a stable, where a smaller sky bison is looking up at her, his large tongue poising itself to lick her face.

Tenzin walks over next to her and smiles. "His name is Oogie, he's my favorite!" At that moment, Oogie licks Tenzin, nearly lifting him off his feet as he licked at him. Lin chuckles at the sight.

"Perfect. Get a saddle."

After readying Oogie outside the stable, Tenzin jumps on and holds a hand down to Lin.

"I can get on by myself Tenzin!" Lin says, irritation glittering her voice. She quickly earthbends a rock under her feet and raises herself to the saddle's height and hops on.

Tenzin retracts his hand, blushing.

After getting situated, Tenzin grabs hold of the reigns. "You ready?"

Lin sighs and replies, smirking. "Born that way, Tenzin."

"Oogie, yip yip!"

The bison kicks off the floor and Lin nearly slides off from the balance shift.

"Wow. This is beautiful. We're soaring, Tenzin!"Lin says, jubilation riddling her voice. Tenzin looks at her, smiling. "Yeah, really beautiful."

She sits up on her knees and spreads her arms out wide. "I feel so free up here. Like it's a new world! Can we get higher?"

Tenzin nods and reigns Oogie to drift into the clouds.

"This is unbelievable, Tenzin." Lin says, nearly speechless as she looks out toward the bright yellow globe near the top of the sky. "This is exactly what I had imagined it to be… You know, my father promised me as a little girl that he'd take me flying one day up into the sky and show me everything from a whole new perspective." Tenzin stares at her, unsure of what to say, trusting his instinct to keep on listening.

"When he left, I was pretty indifferent because I always thought that he would come back and take me flying because he promised me." Lin looks away from the sky and into Tenzin's eyes, grabbing his hand with one of hers. "But now, I'm really glad you're the one showing me. Showing me the clouds, the trees, the people underneath us, the bay, everything. It's like a whole different place down there, but that different place makes a part of one whole from up here." She smiles at him, blushing now as he grips her hand tighter.

"I'm glad I could do this with you too, Lin." Tenzin quickly leans in and kisses her on the cheek, pulling back almost as fast as he placed the kiss on her cheek.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Lin. I don't know wh-" Tenzin was quickly silenced by a hard kiss to his lips. Lin pulls back swiftly and begins to hug him. "I've been waiting so long for that, Tenzin."

He hugs her back, squeezing her tight, his face nestled in her shoulder. "Me too, Lin."

"Let's go back down and hang out with everybody else now that we are on good terms again." Lin says, chuckling.

"You got it!"

Tenzin lowers the reign, coaxing Oogie to descend.

Back in the stables after Oogie is unsaddled and fed, Lin walks over to Tenzin, her head bowed down, her cheeks flushed red

"Thanks, Tenzin." She launches herself at him again, hugging him. He hugs her back, reveling in her sweet hold.

Lin pulls away and a smirk glides over her face. "Now come on! I'll race you! Earth versus Air in the battle of the ages!" she says running out of the stables.

Tenzin runs after her, his own forever girl.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: I'm so sorry it took me so long…I've been having some personal issues that have inhibited my writing time. But now that it's over and I'm better I can write more freely. Review if you want, no pressure! : )**

Tenzin and Lin reach the temple in minutes, laughing as they walk towards the dining room for breakfast.

The two shove and push against each other, their laughter overshadowing any other source of sound around them.

"I totally won that, Tenzin. Don't be a sore loser!" Lin says, punching his arm.

He grimaces at the pain but the elated, relaxed look in Lin's eyes soothes him. "Hmmm, I might give you this one." he says, smirking.

She quirks her eyebrow at him then shoves him once more. "Oh, shut up. I wonder if anyone else is awake yet, I'm hungry."

He walks with her as they approach the dining room. He quickly steps in front of her in order to open the sliding door for her and she raises an eyebrow at him, a frown plastered on her face.

"What do you think you're doing?" she asks, disapproval marking her tone.

"Uhhh, I don''t know. I just-" Tenzin replies, his face feeling abnormally hot as his cheeks fill with rouge.

"Look, Tenzin. You know me, do you think I need a guy to open a door for me? No, right?" she asks. But before he could reply she continues. She turns her head toward the door, focusing on one of the panes. "So don't do things like this. I don't need you to do anything for me that I am perfectly capable of doing myself. Just because I kissed you does not mean you have to wait on me…or vice versa for that matter. Got that?"

Tenzin looks at her, astonished. "Um, yeah, sure Lin. I just thought it'd be a nice…gesture?" he says, afraid his own words would work against him just as his instincts did mere seconds ago.

"Well, I don't need that. I can open a door myself."

She looks at him and realizes he is gnawing at his lip, clearly unsure of what to do and intimidated by her. She did not mean to scare him, and immediately wished she had noticed earlier before her rant. "Hey, don't worry about it okay?" she says smiling, her hand reaching up to grasp his shoulder. "You're still cool."

She could swear she heard him release a relaxed sigh before she turned around to open the door to the dining room.

Her and Tenzin walk in to be greeted by the sight of their bustling companions, each one either reaching for the food on the table or chattering excitedly amongst themselves. Tenzin looks quizzically over at Honora and Bumi, the two giggling with each other.

"Tenzin, Lin, so glad that you two could join us." Toph says, her head nearly buried in a bowl of dumplings she was shoveling into her mouth.

At her greeting, the rest of the group halts and looks at them, remembering the fight the two were in the day before.

The group sat frozen, staring for what seemed like _too_ long until Honora piped up, calmly. "I see that you two have made up."

Tenzin and Lin look at one another and share a smile. "Yeah, we've made up alright." Lin teases, sitting and treating herself to a full plate of food. Tenzin sits beside her, filling his own plate.

Toph smirks underneath her bowl but listens as the event unfolds.

Honora raises her brow at the two as they sit and laugh with one another, passing knowing smiles between each other. She gasps when she realizes what has happened.

"You two are a couple now!" She says, nearly squealing in delight, before she collects herself.

Tenzin and Lin look at her, clearly surprised at her quick assumption.

"How did you…"

"What's it to ya?"

The couple reply at the same time.

"Well, for one, you just admitted it, and two, it's obvious." Honora replies calmly.

At this point, Toph lets out a loud laugh. "Ms. Sparky here is right. You guys ooze that "new couple" vibe."

The rest of the group stare, fixated on the new couple as the two's faces turn a bright red as they shift awkwardly next to each other.

"Shut up!" Bumi says, laughing. "I knew it! Didn't I, Honora?"

"We all did, Bumi." Kya says, rolling her eyes.

"It's about time you two realized, I was getting so frustrated." Hakoda says, before looking over at Bumi. "Hey I think I won the bet!"

Lin finds refuge in Honora's appalled expression. She hoped that Honora was not going to embarrass her either.

"What are you talking about Hakoda? I won the bet and you know it!"

Lin groans and put her head in her hands as Tenzin silently chuckles to himself.

Lin notices his laughter and looks up at him, her eyes daggers. "You think this is funny?"

Tenzin looks at her, smiling widely. "Well, yes, I do. They've known longer than we have that we like each other!"

The whole room bursts into roaring laughter at his response. Even Lin, who moments before wanted to hit the boy for laughing at the situation, appreciated the truth in his reply and began laughing.

Minutes later, as the people in the room finally calmed down, Toph piped in, still smiling.

"So, what're our plans for today?"

**Author's Note: What do you want their plans to be? Review your thoughts and I'll pick! Thanks you guys! **


End file.
